SEA DRAMA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17608, 26 October 1931, Page 2

SEA DRAMA

CAPTAIN’S DIVE OVERBOARD SYDNEY, October 15. ...The .tragic circumstances of the death of Captain J. N. Flick, who was drowned when he dived over the side of the oil tanker Laurel, on the last voyage from Auckland to San Francisco, were related by members of the crew when the Laurel arrived in Sydney, to-day. “For some time,’’ said one of the crew, “Captain Flick had been very depressed and nervous. This is understood to have been due to a duodenal ulcer. “His condition became worse. He would sometimes sit on the floor and lear up flowers and paper. He never left hisi cabin, and would not speak to his officers or the crew. “This went on for eight days, when one morning Captain Flick gave orders that a Bible be found. As this could not be obtained, lie was given a prayer book, and he ordered all hands on deck for a religious meeting. “At this stage, the Chief Officer, Mr. EL .P. Sjoquist, who is now master of the, ship, decided that Captain Flick was hot in a fit condition to command the ship,, and,,.gave orders that lie be falcep to a cabin, and placed a guard at the dbor. , . “Captain Flick for two hours turned the pages of -an album of pictures of his wife and children; and at 11 a.m. that day a number of thq. crew were astounded when the door of tlie captain’s cabin burst* open, and Captain Flick dashed n to the lower bridge, brushed the a’gril aside, and dived over into the Pacific, witliooit touching the rail. “4- lifebuoy , was thrown to him, but lie made no, attempt .to grasp it. “A lifeboat was., launched, but by this time Captain Flick was..nearly half a mile astern, and disappeared before the boat could reach him.”